UNLV basketball has the answers in big win over Utah State

UNLV Rebels guardant Jalen Hill (1), and guards D.J. Thomas (11) and Jailen Bedford (14) observe aft defeating the Utah State Aggies 65-62 successful an NCAA hoops crippled astatine Thomas & Mack Center Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. Photo by Steve Marcus

The UNLV hoops squad answered immoderate questions connected Wednesday.

Questions specified as, are they susceptible of beating a bully team? Are they pugnacious capable to vie with the apical contenders successful the Mountain West? Are they resilient capable to triumph a adjacent crippled erstwhile things aren’t going right?

Kevin Kruger’s squad tin cheque each those boxes aft knocking disconnected No. 22 Utah State, 65-62, astatine the Thomas & Mack Center.

Coming disconnected back-to-back blowout losses connected the roadworthy astatine Boise State and Colorado State, the Scarlet and Gray showed large resoluteness successful holding Utah State to its second-lowest scoring full of the play and handing the Aggies their archetypal Mountain West loss.

UNLV changeable conscionable 40.9% from the tract and made conscionable 6-of-25 from 3-point range, but scrappy defense, opportunistic rebounding and timely shot-making from prima constituent defender D.J. Thomas was capable to get the Scarlet and Gray crossed the decorativeness line.

“I deliberation that conscionable shows however resilient we are,” Thomas said. “I consciousness similar the past week connected our roadworthy travel we didn’t amusement however resilient we were erstwhile we got down large early. I consciousness similar present we’ve gotten backmost connected way and we’re successful a bully abstraction now.”

UNLV carried a 32-30 pb into halftime contempt shooting 36.7% implicit the archetypal 20 minutes, and that vantage held until Utah State yet took the pb with 7 minutes remaining. Two minutes aboriginal the Aggies had pushed ahead, 60-53, and determination was nary crushed to judge UNLV was susceptible of a comeback — not aft suffering consecutive 22-point losses past week, and not aft going 0-7 against prime opponents to this constituent successful the season.

But Thomas recovered chap sophomore Brooklyn Hicks cutting on the baseline for a layup, and aft a antiaircraft stop, elder Julian Rishwain stroked a 3-pointer to bring UNLV wrong 60-58. Rishwain made different triple with 2:23 near to chopped Utah State’s vantage to 62-61, and from that constituent Thomas did the rest.

Thomas was 2-of-12 from the tract astatine that point, but arsenic UNLV’s unquestioned go-to feline helium recovered the shot successful his hands connected the game’s astir important possessions.

After a Utah State turnover nether the basket, Thomas raced retired successful modulation and divided 2 defenders for a layup to enactment UNLV ahead, 63-62, with 1:56 connected the clock. The teams traded bare possessions, and UNLV called timeout with the shot and 33 seconds remaining.

Thomas dribbled retired the changeable timepiece and took connected his defender, driving into the overgarment and pivoting earlier nailing a fadeaway jumper to springiness the Scarlet and Gray a 65-62 pb with 15 seconds to play.

Thomas said the play plan was expected to get the shot to elder guardant Jalen Hill, but Utah State forced him to spell off-script.

“I conscionable improvised and deed a large shot,” Thomas said.

Kruger seemed little than amazed that Thomas ended up taking and making the dagger shot.

“No secret, D.J. is going to person the shot successful his hands to marque game-winning plays,” Kruger said.

Utah State did not telephone timeout and ran a play for elder defender Ian Martinez astatine the 3-point line, but Hill smothered him and denied the pass. With clip moving out, Mason Falslev missed a 3 and UNLV secured the rebound to seal the win.

Utah State came into the nighttime undefeated successful Mountain West play acknowledgment successful ample portion to an businesslike discourtesy that ranked No. 28 nationally successful efficiency. UNLV’s defence forced the Aggies to miss their last six shots and held them scoreless for the last 2:49.

“Our defence was the focal constituent tonight,” Kruger said. “When we ticker the movie we’re going to beryllium incredibly arrogant of however overmuch they fought, however locked successful they were, however overmuch they played for each other.”

Hill led UNLV with 15 points and 8 rebounds. Thomas totaled 8 points and six assists, portion Rishwain canned 4 3-pointers and finished with 13 points. Hicks went for 9 points and 7 rebounds disconnected the bench.

With Wednesday’s upset victory, the Scarlet and Gray answered different important question: Do UNLV fans person immoderate crushed to clasp retired anticipation for the remainder of the play — and the Mountain West tournament?

Check.

Mike Grimala tin beryllium reached astatine 702-948-7844 oregon [email protected]. Follow Mike connected Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.